February 9, 2003

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - The Virginia Tech men's tennis team won for the fourth consecutive time and picked up a big road victory with a 4-2 win Sunday afternoon at No. 71 Penn State. Tech improves to 7-1 on the year with the win.

The Hokies, No. 38 in the latest Omni Hotels Collegiate Tennis Rankings, won the doubles point and took three singles matches for the victory. Tech picked up singles wins at the three of the top four positions as 51st-ranked Saber Kadiri (Sr., Algiers, Algeria) had no trouble with Matt Frakes in the No. 3 match winning 6-2, 6-1 and Michael Kurz (Sr., Stuttgart, Germany) won 6-3, 6-3 at the No. 3 position over Todd Stecko. Francis Huot (Sr., Quebec City, Canada), ranked No. 94, picked up the clinching point at No. 1 with a 6-2, 7-6 (5) win against Nate Emge. Huot actually trailed 5-3 in the tie-breaker before rallying for the win.

Andreas Laulund (Jr., Odense, Denmark), ranked No. 88, was upset 6-3, 6-4 in the No. 2 match by Mark Barry and David Emery (So., Fairfax, Va.) fell 6-2, 6-3 at No. 5 to Roddy Cantey. Angel Diankov (So., Yonkers, N.Y.) led his No. 6 match 7-6 (9) against Brad Nudell when the contest was stopped once the team match had been decided.

In doubles action, Emery/Kadiri won 8-5 at No. 2 over Frakes/Nudell while Huot/Kurz cruised past Barry/Emge 8-2 at No. 3. Laulund/Stephane Rod (So., Lausanne, Switzerland) were tied 6-6 in the No. 1 contest with Cantey/Clint Keithly when the match was halted after Tech had clinched the doubles point.

Tech will be back in action on Fri., Feb. 14 when the Hokies host Yale at 2 p.m. The Hokies defeated the Bulldogs 6-1 during the fall season at the ECAC Championships. All home matches are played at the Burrows/Burleson Tennis Center on the Virginia Tech campus.

No. 38 Virginia Tech 4, No. 71 Penn State 2

Singles
1. #98 Francis Huot (VT) def. Nate Emge (PSU) 6-2, 7-6 (5) *
2. Mark Barry (PSU) def. #88 Andres Laulund (VT) 6-3, 6-4
3. #51 Saber Kadiri (VT) def. Matt Frakes (PSU) 6-2, 6-1
4. Michael Kurz (VT) def. Todd Stecko (PSU) 6-3, 6-3
5. Roddy Cantey (PSU) def. David Emery (VT) 6-2, 6-3
6. Angel Diankov (VT) vs. Brad Nudell (PSU) 7-6 (9), DNF

Doubles
1. #44 Laulund/Stephane Rod (VT) vs. Cantey/Clint Keithly (PSU) 6-6 DNF
2. Emery/Kadiri (VT) def. Frakes/Nudell (PSU) 8-5
3. Huot/Kurz (VT) def. Barry/Emge (PSU) 8-2

*clinching point